Subject(s)
Leukemia/therapy , Lymphoma/therapy , Sarcoma/therapy , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Pediatrics , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
The cytocentrifugation of the liquor cerebrospinalis provides a useful diagnostic tool to differentiate benign from malign diseases of the central nervous system. The method is illustrated with liquor analyses in the field of pediatric oncology: medulloblastoma, leptomeninx sarcoma, plexuspapilloma, astrocytoma, Abt-Letterer-Siwe, ALL, reticulum cell sarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, retinoblastoma. The speed and ease of the processing, the highest possible cellular yield and the good preservation of the cellular characteristics are great advantages of this new method.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Spinal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Brain Neoplasms/prevention & control , Centrifugation/methods , Cerebrospinal Fluid/cytology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Medulloblastoma/radiotherapy , Methotrexate/therapeutic useABSTRACT
Central nervous system (CNS) relapse is reported in three children with acute lymphocytic leukemia who received intermittent prophylactic CNS therapy with intrathecal methotrexate. The children were on monochemotherapy either with methotrexate or 6-mercaptopurine for 2 1/2 years. The CNS relapse occurred 2 1/2, 10 and 11 months after cessation of all chemotherapy. Irradiation and/or intensive chemotherapy including drugs as BCNU and Ara-C which are known to cross the blood-brain barrier were not given. Preventive CNS radiotherapy should be considered in all children who did not receive an adequate prophylactic CNS therapy even after long-term remission before chemotherapy is stopped.
